Sensor Technologies: Collecting the Data in the Home

If you really want to keep your house safe, you should hire security guards to watch your house 24/7. However, most of us cannot afford that kind of staffing. The next best thing, then, is to install a security system. Essentially, we would buy a set of sensors that provides a version of ‘watching’ the house. We may buy sensors for the doors and windows—since we do not want them to be opened while we are away. These sensors only have a single function: “Is the door open or closed?” We could also get a system that includes cameras installed throughout the house and perimeter. These will provide us with much larger quantities of data and more precise information. When considering which types of sensors to install, we need to consider their advantages and disadvantages. While sensors can’t truly replace security guards because we still require a human to investigate a sensor alarm, the sensors provide the opportunity for fewer humans to ‘guard’ more homes; hence, improving cost-effectiveness.